Safety device for submarine crews



Feb. 15 1944. s KOTELEV ETAL 2,341,923

I SAFETY DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE CREWS Filed May 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGA SERGE GCKOTELEV 8'0 PH/E E KYJTELEV {NVENTORS Mum ATTORNEY Feb. 15,1944. 5. G. KOTELEV ETAL 2,341,923

SAFETY DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE CREWS Filed May 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SERGE GKorELEV SOPHIE EKOTELEV INVENTORS fil. fima ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE CREWS Serge G. Kotelev and Sophie F. Kotelev,

Long Island City, N. Y.

Application May 15, 1942, SerialNo. 443,142 6 Claims. (o1. 114 mm Our invention relates to safety devices for submarine crew and has particular reference to devices in the form of airtight shells or bells, forming a part of submarine equipment.

Our invention has for its object to provide means for members of submarine crew to escape to the surface of water when the submarine is lying at the bottom, and to return again, or for all members to successively escape from a submerged submarine. We provide for this purpose an air-tight shell or bell held on a cable in a special launching compartment in the submarine, and adapted to hold one man. We also provide means to enable the man to enter the shell when water is excluded from the surrounding space, and to let the shell to rise by its own buoyancy when sealed with the man inside, the cable being provided with means of communication with the rest of the crew. by the man at the surface of water for his escape, and the man, if he wishes, can reenter the shell to be hauled back into the submerged submarine.

Our invention is more fully described in the accompanying specification and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of my device in a diving chamber in a submarine; and

Fig. 2 is a view of a submarine at the bottom of the sea, with safety devices in operation.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the shell.

Our safety device for submarine consists of a shell or bell l which may be egg-shaped in its outline and provided with a hollow lid 2, supported on hinges 3. A strap 4 limits the movement of the lid when opened. The shell is of a sufficient size to hold a man, who can close the lid from the inside, locking it in a closed position by a latch 5. A rubber gasket 6 provides an air-tight seal for the lid. 1

The bottom of the shell has a rubber cap 'I resting in a cradle 8 supported inside a sleeve 9 which slides up and down a tube It] forming a launching device for the shell. The rubber cap has a flaring out flange ll of a larger diameter than the opening in the cradle 8 so that the shell, when moved upward, entrains the cradle by the flange H until the cradle reaches the top position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Here the cradle is stopped and is temporarily locked by pins I2 with springs l3, the pins engaging corresponding holes 6| in the walls of the tube. The cradle with the sleeve provides partial closure for the tube l0, preventing large seaani- 'mals, such as squids, etc. from entering the tube The shell can be opened.

when it is open. The pins [2 will yield, however, when suflicient pressure is applied as by the shell being pulled in by the cable.

A strong cable I 4 is attached to the bottom ofthe shell and is wound on a drum l5 mounted on a hollow shaft H3. The cable is.of sufiicient length to enable the man in the shell to rise to the surface of water when the submarine is lying at the bottom in a deep water. The shaft is journaled in bearings 11, I8 with air-tight packing glands is, 20. The cable extends through the shaft at one end intothe hold of the submarine Where electric wires 2| in the cable are connected to a telephone or telegraph apparatus (not shown) or other suitable signalling device.

The other end of the shaft is is connected by a worm gear 22 and a worm 23 with a suitable motor 24 preferably operated by compressed air with a control handle 25 for reversing its rotation. "The tube H] has a flange 2'6 at the top bolted to the deck of a submarine 62 at 27. A lid "28 is-provided for the opening at the top of the tube H], the lid being hinged at 29 and provided with a rubber ring 30 engaging a corresponding recess 3| in the tapered seat 32 at the top of the .tube it). An additional rubber ring 33 is provided in the opening: of the tube for protecting the cable M. A cam-shaped latch 5|, operated by a handle 52 from inside, clamps tightly the lid in itsplace.

' The lid 23 can be operated'from inside thesllbmarine hull by a handle 34 at the .end of a shaft 35' having a worm 36, connected with a worm gear 31 on the hinge shaft 29. A packing gland '38 provides anair-tight seal for the shaft .35.

When it is desired to send a man to the surface when the submarine is submerged as, for instance, to reconnoiter the vicinity and to ascertain if it will be safe for thesubmarine to rise, or to save the crew of the submarine if the latter cannot be raised, then the lid '28 is tightly closed, and water is expelled from the launching tube It through pipe .39 extending to the outside and having a valve 4%). Air at a high pressure is admitted for this purpose into the tube [-0 from :a steel cylinder ii, the cylinder being connected with'the space in the tube I10 by pipes 42, 43 and valves" 44', 5. The cylinder is heldin a-cradle 46.

When all .water is expelledgfrom the tube l0 and the valve' lfi :closed, a port 41 is opened by turning a handwheel 48 on a screw 49 until a coveriifiil is released and can be then-removed, beingof anoval shape for. this purpose. A man climbs throughxthe portll'l into the tube, feet first, raising at the same tifne the lid 2. The

man, once inside the shell I, closes the lid 2 and tightly clamps the same by the latch 5. He is now ready to rise to the surface of water.

Water is then admitted into the tube In by opening the valve 40. Air is released from the tube l through a valved vent pipe 53.

When the tube I0 is full of water and the pressure inside and outside is equalized, the lid 28 is opened and the air for th motor 2| turned on by the handle 22 for unwinding the cable I4. The air is admitted from the cylinder 4| by pipe 54. The volume of th shell I is so proportioned that it will have a positive buoyance with the man inside and, consequently, will ris as the cable is unwound. The cradle 8 will slide upward to the top of the tube, ensuring proper Position of the shell in the tube until the shell entirely emerges through the opening at the top. The cradle will be held at the top by spring pins I2.

For short trips to the surface when the submarin lies in a shallow water, the shell maycontain sufficient amount of air for the man to breathe when he rises to the surface. For deeper submergence the man may b provided with an oxygen tank 55.

A glass window 56 may be provided in the -cap or the latter may be made of glass or other transparent material.

The man in his shell at the surface can perform various functions; he may watch the horizon for enemy ships, watch skies for airplanes, send radio signals from the submarine; swim out to the nearest shore to summon help if there is no other means available; or he may use the shell as a means to escape from the submarine when the latter is damaged and cannot be raised.

shell can be fitted in its place through the lower portion of the tube 10. The latter for this purpose is split at the middle and providedwith flanges 51, fastened together by bolts 58. The lower half of the tube can be dropped upon releasing the bolts and a new shell inserted and attached to the cable 14.

The cap 2 of the shell. may be provided with a pressure gauge 59, calibrated in units of depth, to enable the man in the shell to know at what 'depth he is at any particular moment.

Step ladders 60 may be used to facilitate entrance into the tube 0 for the man.

It is understood that our safety device may be further modified within the scope of our invention,-as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention: 1. A safety device for submarine crew, consisting of a shell adapted to hold a man; a lid on the shell adapted to be opened and closed by the man in the shell; a cable extending from the shell; a launching tube in a submarine for the shell; means in the tube to support the shell;

a lid on the tube; means to open and close the lid from inside the submarine; a port for admitting the man into the tube and into the shell;

.means to close the port; means to expel the air from the tube and to admit water therein for releasing the shell into the surrounding water; and

means to release the cable for allowing the shell with the man to rise to the surface of water and an elastic ring at the upper end of the launching tub for protecting the shell against abrasion.

2.. A safety device for submarine crew, consisting of a shell adapted to hold a man; a lid on the shell adapted to be opened and closed by the man in the shell; a cabl extending from the shell; a launchilng tube in a submarine for the shell; means in the tube to support the shell; a lid on the tube; means to open and close the lid from inside the submarine; a port for admitting the man into the tube and into the shell; means to close the port; means to expel the air from the tube and to admit water therein for releasing the shell into the surrounding water; means to release the cable for allowing the shell with the man to rise to the surface of water; and an elastic ring at the opening of the tube, the inner diameter of the ring being smaller than the inner diameter of the tube.

3. A safety device for submarine crew consisting of a shell adapted to hold a man; a lid on the shell adapted to be opened and closed by the man in the shell; a cable extending from the shell; a launching tube in a submarine for the shell; a sliding cradle in the tube for supporting the shell; a lid on the tube; means to open and close the lid from inside the submarine; a port for admitting the man into the tube and into the shell; means to close the port; means to expel the air from the tube and to admit water therein for releasing the shell into the surroundin water; means to releasethe cable for allowing the shell with the man to rise to the surface of Water; and means on the shell to releasably engage the eradle for raising the cradle to the top of the tube when the shell is raised.

4. A safety device for submarine crew consisting of a shell adapted to hold a man; a lid on the shell adapted to be opened and closed by the man in the shell; a cable extending from the shell; a launching tube in a submarine for the shell; a sliding cradle in the tube for supporting the shell; a lid on the tube; means to open and close the lid from inside the submarine; means to tighten the lid from inside the submarine for rendering the lid air-tight; a port for admitting the man into the tube and into the shell; an airtight closure for the port; means to admit water from the outside into the tube and to release the air therefrom thereby equalizing water pressure inside the tube with the water pressure outside the submarine; means to release the cable when the lid is opened for allowing the shell with the man to rise to the surface of water outside the submarine; yieldable means on the shell to engage the cradle for lifting the cradle to the top of the tube when the shell is raised; and means to limitthe upward movement ofthe cradle.

5. A safety device for submarine crew, consisting of a shell adapted to hold a man; a lid on the shell adapted to be opened and closed by the man in the shell; a cable extending from the shell; a launching tube in asubmarine for the shell; a sliding cradle in the tube 'for supporting the shell; a lid on the tube; means to open and close the lid from inside the submarine; means to tighten the lid from inside the submarine for rendering the lid air-tight; a port for admitting the man into the tube and into the shell; an airinside the tube with the water pressure outside the submarine; means to release the cable when the lid is opened for allowing the shell with the man to rise to the surface of water outside the submarine; yieldable means on the shell to engage the cradle for lifting the cradle to the top of the tube when the shell is raised; and means to yieldably retain the cradle in the raised position at the top of the tube.

6. A safety device for submarine crew consisting of a shell adapted to hold a man; a lid on the shell adapted to be opened and closed by the man in the shell; a cable extending from the shell; a launching tube in a submarine for the shell; a sliding cradle in the tube for supporting the shell; a, lid on the tube; means to open and close the lid from inside the submarine; a port for admitting the man into the tube and into the shell; means to close the port; means to expel the air from the tube and to admit Water therein for releasing the shell into the surrounding water; means to release the cable for allowing the shell with the man to rise to the surface of water; means to seal the cradle in the tube; and means to seal the bottom of the shell in the cradle. v i SERGE G. KOTELEV. SOPHIE F. KOTELEV. 

